1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgical retractors and surgical retractor stays. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sliding hook assembly for receiving and securing a surgical retractor stay wherein the sliding stay hook engages a surgical drape or other physical restraint in or near the surgical field.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the course of a surgical procedure or operation, the surgeon opens the patient with a scalpel, forming an incision and surgical site. As the surgeon cuts deeper, the operating room staff typically holds tissue away from the operative field using retractors.
Most retractors are one piece metallic implements that retract a wound in a non-yielding manner. Manipulation and movement of the surgeon as well as movement caused by the contracting muscles or tissues of the patient can result in bruising or tearing of the tissue.
Once an incision is separated and retracted, there is often a need for multiple stays in the form of sutures for holding various tissues, for example different organs. Elastic surgical retractor stay systems are in commercial use that include elastic stays, each having an elongated elastic member that is typically a hollow length of elastic tubing. The elastic tubing provides proximal and distal end portions. The distal end portion carries an elongated hook constructed of wire.
The wire hook has a proximal end that is placed in the distal end of the bore of the hollow tubing. A shrink wrap is placed over the hook and tubing to hold the proximal end of the wire hook firmly in position within the bore of the tubing at the distal end. The embedded portion of the wire hook member is usually recurved or folded. This folded proximal portion of the wire hook expands in the tubing slightly, forming a vertically extended portion that defines a handle.
Various patents have issued for elastic stay retractor systems. A surgical retractor stay and surgical retractor stay system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,649 to James M. Fowler, Jr. on Jul. 28, 1998. The surgical retractor stay system discloses a surgical stay and an annular frame. The annular frame conforms to the patient's body at the surgical site and has notches to receive and secure elastic members of surgical stays. The surgical stay also discloses a hook member in the elastic member forming a handle.
A surgical retractor system, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,791 issued to W. Dale Darnell on Mar. 6, 1984, may comprise an array of standardized, interchangeable, annular retractor frame sections of various shapes of which the end portions are configured to permit the interchangeable, hinged connection of the various shaped frames. These frame sections generally are annular retractor units adaptable to conform to fit the surface contours of various patients upon which a surgical operation is to be performed. This retractor frame is designed to accept yielding rubber or like elastic stays. The retractor frame receives the elastic stays into notches which are integrally formed into the frame body. The elastic portion of the stay received by the retractor frame notch is in the form of a length of hollow elastic tubing adapted to be inserted into one of the notches of the frame and held in place by friction to retract the tissue. U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,783 issued to James M. Fowler on Jun. 23, 1998 discloses an example of a retractor frame having an annular flange with notches to receive the elastic member of a surgical retractor stay.